Customs Awaits New Chief, Many Initiatives

This will be the year U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows what the agency can do when it has politically appointed leadership, something it hasn’t had for two years. If confirmed by the Senate, R. Gil Kerlikowske will lead the agency as it brings a long-delayed cargo processing system into the homestretch, beefs up its top trusted-trade program and determines how to best assist exporters. At the same time, CBP continues to better target goods for inspections so it doesn’t hold up trade unnecessarily.